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☆ Inflation data commands center stage next week and provides a test for the market rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

All three major U.S. stock indexes closed higher for the week, led by the Dow Jones Industrial Average . The Nasdaq Composite added 1.14% while the S & P 500 advanced 1.85% in a relatively quiet week of economic updates. Within the portfolio, Disney and Wynn Resorts released quarterly numbers; we took issue with the stock reaction to both reports. It also raises the stakes around major economic releases, such as next week's consumer inflation report. In the week ahead, earnings season continues — headlined by Walmart on Thursday — and inflation data will dominate the economic calendar.

Persons: We've, Jim Cramer, Dow Jones, we'll, We'll, Stanley Black, Decker, Jack, JACK, Arcutis, Spero, JD.com, Armour, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Carlo Allegri Organizations: Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Disney, Wynn Resorts, Procter, Procter & Gamble, Walmart, CPI, PPI, Club, Home Depot, Biotech Corporation, Music Entertainment, Central Puerto S.A, TeraWulf Inc, Paysafe Group Holdings, QuickLogic Corporation, Kopin Corp, Royalty Corp, Agilysys Inc, Crop Solutions Corp, Inovio Biomedical, Intercorp Financial, Lithium, Argentina ) Corp, Sea, Sony Group Corporation, SONY, Holding, HudBay Minerals, Autolus Therapeutics, Game Technology, Nu Holdings, Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp, Bakkt Holdings, Prestige Consumer Healthcare, SilverCrest Metals, Inc, Mining Corp, Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Cresco Labs, Dole plc, DOLE, Arcos Dorados Holdings, ARCO, Cisco Systems, Grab Holdings, Copa Holdings S.A, Technologies, Iris Energy, KORE Group, Super, Spero Therapeutics, ZTO, Baidu, Deere & Company, NICE, Lightspeed Commerce, Ship Lease, Canada Goose Holdings, Drainage Systems, Consolidated Water Co, Outlook Therapeutics, Despegar.com, Corp, DXC Technology Company, Flowers Foods, Bruker Corporation, WYNN, CNBC, Foods Locations: Procter &, Central, Cayman, Lithium Americas, Argentina, Manhattan, New York City

☆ Druckenmiller says he bought five Argentinian stocks, praises Javier Milei's policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"The only free market leader in the world right now, bizarrely, is in Argentina of all places," Druckenmiller said. Milei took office in December, promising economic reforms after Argentina was hit hard by inflation. I bought all of them, we did some work on them, I increased my positions," Druckenmiller said. ARGT 1D mountain The Global X MSCI Argentina ETF rose on Tuesday morning. The Global X MSCI Argentina ETF (ARGT) , which includes many of the stocks listed above, rose more than 1% in premarket trading Tuesday.

Persons: Stanley Druckenmiller, Druckenmiller, Javier Milei, Milei, Soros, Duquesne, it's Organizations: Economic, Duquesne Family, Grupo, Arcos, Banco BBVA Argentina, Mercadolibre, Grupo Financiero Galicia, Banco Locations: Argentina, Davos, U.S, Americas

☆ Energy Department Offers $2.3 Billion Loan to Boost Lithium Production
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Madeleine Ngo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Energy Department is moving forward on a deal to provide a $2.3 billion loan to Lithium Americas Corp. in an effort to shore up domestic supplies of a mineral vital for the production of electric vehicles. If finalized, the loan would help finance the construction of a lithium carbonate processing plant at Thacker Pass in Nevada. The United States, however, has lagged behind other countries in producing the metal. Only 1 percent of the lithium used in the United States is harvested domestically, according to the Energy Department. Lithium carbonate from Thacker Pass could support the production of batteries for up to 800,000 electric vehicles a year, according to the Energy Department.

Organizations: Energy Department, Lithium Americas Corp, Administration Locations: Thacker, Nevada, North America, United States, Australia, Chile, China, Argentina

Ramped-up domestic production of lithium is a key part of President Joe Biden's blueprint for a greener future less dependent on fossil fuels. It also confirmed the snail is currently known to exist in only 13 isolated springs within a 14-mile (22-km) radius of Thacker Pass and the Montana Mountains in Humboldt County. It said other threats include “livestock grazing, roads, drought, climate change and the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine.”Lithium Americas, which is developing the mine, said it’s done significant research and plans extensive monitoring to guard against any potential harm. Fish and Wildlife Service and are confident it will reaffirm that we’re building an environmentally responsible project with no impacts to the snail,” he said in an email to The Associated Press. Paiute and Shoshone tribes also say the mine is being built on sacred land at Thacker Pass where more than two dozen of their ancestors were massacred by U.S. troops in 1865.

Persons: Thacker, Joe Biden's, ” Paul Ruprecht, pyrg, it’s, ”, Tim Crowley Organizations: Nevada -, Fish, Wildlife Service, Federal Register, Interior Department, “, ESA, Thacker, U.S . Fish, Associated Press, Land Management Locations: RENO, Nev, Nevada, Nevada - Oregon, U.S, Idaho, Reno, Thacker, Montana, Humboldt County

☆ Lightning Round: Vertiv is 'hitting it out of the park', says Jim Cramer
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLightning Round: Vertiv is 'hitting it out of the park', says Jim Cramer'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer weighs in on stocks including: Energy Transfer, Alibaba, Lithium Americas Corp, Crown Castle, RadNet, Vertiv and Aercap.

Persons: Jim Cramer Organizations: Lithium Americas Corp Locations: RadNet

☆ Here are Wednesday's biggest analyst calls: Meta, Tesla, Nvidia, Apple, Sunrun, Alphabet, Snowflake & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

UBS initiates Fiverr as buy UBS said the Israeli online marketplace company has "significant upside." UBS upgrades Fluor to buy from hold UBS said the construction and engineering stock is underappreciated. Bank of America upgrades Orange to buy from underperform Bank of America double upgraded the European telco company and says it has upside potential. Bank of America reiterates Blackrock as buy Bank of America said the asset management company is well positioned. Mizuho reiterates Nvidia as buy Mizuho added the stock to its top picks list and says it's an AI winner.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Tesla, it's, underappreciate FLR, TD Cowen, Key, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Oppenheimer, Mizuho, Coinbase, Bernstein, PTON Organizations: US, UBS, Americas Corp, Bank of America, underperform Bank of America, Tech, of America, Apple, JPMorgan, Netflix, ARM, " Bank of America, Blackrock, Nvidia, Mizuho, NOVA Locations: Argentina, Argentine, Orange, 3Q23, 4Q23

☆ Scientists found a massive lithium deposit inside an ancient US volcano that could be a game-changer for American clean energy but spell disaster for Native Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lithium independence would be a game-changer for clean energy but Native Americans are already suffering for it. In August, researchers reported that the illite in the southern portion of McDermitt Caldera, called Thacker Pass, contains about 1.8% lithium, on average. And McDermitt Caldera could be that resource. AdvertisementAdvertisementMcKinney is part of the Indigenous group called People of Red Mountain that has opposed lithium mining at Thacker Pass. "The world needs to know that this lithium mining, and this fast-tracking of lithium mining, is a continuation of racism on Paiute and Shoshone people," McKinney told NPR.

Persons: Caldera, Thacker, McDermitt, Jalopnik, There's, Gary McKinney, Al Jazeera, McKinney Organizations: Service, McDermitt Caldera, Chemistry, Nevada -, US, KU Leuven University, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Guardian, Shoshone -, NPR, MSCI Sustainability Institute Locations: Wall, Silicon, McDermitt, Nevada, Nevada - Oregon, Tervuren, Belgium, Thacker, Red, Americas, Al

☆ Parts of the market are overbought — but these 4 stocks are still discounted, says top strategist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The S & P 500 is up nearly 8% so far this year, and there are signs that certain sectors and stocks are overbought. Now's a good time to be making some changes to your portfolio, Dave Sekera, chief U.S. market strategist at Morningstar, told CNBC's " Squawk Box Asia " on Wednesday. Discounted stocks Though some parts of the market are already in overbought territory, Sekera said some stocks that Morningstar is bullish on are still trading at a discount to its fair value estimates. As for banks, he named Charles Schwab , which he said is trading at about a 25% discount to Morningstar's fair value estimates. Lithium producer Lithium Americas is trading at a 54% discount to Morningstar's fair value estimates, while U.S. automotive supplier BorgWarner is at a 41% discount.

☆ Analysis: GM's 2025 EV output could be crimped by battery bottleneck
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have not changed our targets," GM spokesman Jim Cain said. Those targets include cumulative EV production of 400,000 from early 2022 through mid-2024, a revised goal that CEO Mary Barra reiterated earlier this year. "We believe GM’s targets are hittable despite hurdles to get there," Wedbush auto analyst Dan Ives said. GM has not issued specific North American EV production targets for 2024 and 2025. GM’s North American EV production targets beyond 2025 “will continue to push the limits” of its battery plants, according to AFS, including a recently announced fourth factory with new partner Samsung SDI (006400.KS) that isn’t expected to open until 2026.

☆ TSX tumbles after hotter-than-expected inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A report by Statistics Canada showed that April annual consumer inflation had surprisingly ticked up, fueled by higher rental and mortgage interest costs. "Underlying core inflation is settling in around 4%, which is clearly still too high for the BoC's comfort." ET (14:14 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) was down 235.32 points, or 1.15%, at 20,304.65. The materials sector (.GSPTTMT) tumbled 1.4% and was the biggest drag on the TSX, tracking weak base- and precious-metal prices. Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Vansh Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Interior Department on Tuesday removed one of the last remaining obstacles to Lithium Americas Corp's (LAC.TO), Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada by finding nearly all of the site contains the metal used to make electric-vehicle batteries. The opinion from the department's solicitor comes amid an acrimonious debate about whether more U.S. mines should be built to produce lithium and other green energy transition metals. Of the dozens of mining claims at the Thacker Pass site held by the company, the government found fewer than 10 did not contain lithium mineralization, an Interior Department official told Reuters. "They're going to be able to start construction and production without these claims being in the plan of operation," the official said of Lithium Americas. "We're in favor of increasing domestic mineral production when it's being done in the right location and in the right way," the official said.

☆ Morningstar's chief U.S. market strategist shares his outlook for the economy and ways to play the market turbulence ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But even in a turbulent environment, there are value opportunities for investors who look carefully, according to Dave Sekera, Morningstar's chief U.S. market strategist. "We think the stock market is undervalued," Sekera told CNBC during an interview at the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago. "However, I'd say at this point, the easy returns have already been made thus far this year, and I do see a rough road ahead for the next couple of quarters for the stock market in general." For regional bank stocks, Morningstar expects earnings to slowly decline through 2023. Today, Morningstar views many of those names, in areas such as energy, healthcare and consumer defensives, as fully valued.

☆ Lightning Round: Don't buy, don't buy, don't buy Piedmont Lithium
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLightning Round: Don't buy, don't buy, don't buy Piedmont Lithium"Mad Money" host Jim Cramer weighs in on stocks, including Hudson Tech, Big Lots, Viking Thera, Piedmont Lithium, Best Buy, Lithium Americas and HCA Holdings.

☆ Argentina's lithium pipeline promises 'white gold' boom as Chile tightens control
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Neighboring Chile, the region's top lithium producer, last week unveiled plans for a state-led public-private model, spooking investors. Bolivia has long maintained strict control over its huge though largely untapped resources, while Mexico nationalized its lithium deposits last year. The country has six lithium projects under construction and 15 in the advanced exploration or feasibility stage, Mignacco said. "Argentina's lithium sector has thrived through a decentralized, pro-market strategy," said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at The Wilson Center, adding in contrast Bolivia's lithium sector had "repeatedly stalled as a result of excessive state control." "Chile today produces and exports much more lithium than Argentina," said Natacha Izquierdo, analyst at consultancy ABCEB.

☆ Futures flat on mixed earnings, Fed policy uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures off: Dow 0.02%, S&P 0.02%, Nasdaq 0.01%April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Friday as investors digested a mixed bag of earnings reports, while awaiting more data for clues on the outlook for interest rates and the economy. Investors will focus on S&P Global's flash purchasing managers' indexes (PMI) at 9:45 a.m. Meanwhile, a slate of Fed speakers this week supported the view of another 25 basis point rate hike by the U.S. central bank when it meets next week. ET, Dow e-minis were down 8 points, or 0.02%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 0.75 points, or 0.02%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 1.5 points, or 0.01%. Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. Many teem with lithium, calcium and other minerals, and DLE technologies aim to separate out the lithium and leave the rest. LITHIUM METAL FROM BRINEEnergyX has said its technology can make lithium metal directly from brine, a tantalizing prospect for GM that could let the automaker bypass lithium refining, which is widely seen as a key supply chain bottleneck. The EnergyX investment comes after GM in January agreed to pay $650 million to become the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO), which is developing the Thacker Pass clay lithium project in Nevada. "This GM investment will completely change the trajectory of EnergyX," said Teague Egan, the startup company's founder and chief executive.

☆ Elon Musk's dream of producing 20 million Teslas per year hangs on whether or not it can pull off a major shift in battery tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tesla wants to make lower cost electric vehicles, as a key part of its plan to fend off challenger. Still, given Tesla's delivery of roughly 1.3 million vehicles last year, it clearly has a long way to go to hit Musk's goal. The growing portion of Tesla's LFP vehicles have, in part, been the result of a deal it struck with Chinese battery supplier CATL in 2020. Tesla and the rush for lithiumA lack of supply chain controls hinders efforts to produce low-cost EVs. The company started to take steps towards taking control of lithium supply into its own hands.

For 100 of those applicants, the Energy Department has hired staff to provide business development advice and "intense mentorship," Jigar Shah, head of the Energy Department's Loan Programs Office, told Reuters on the sidelines of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. Given the rapidly evolving technologies in the clean energy space, Shah said the department might shorten loan terms. If we think that that's a risk, then we just change the terms of the loan," Shah said. The LPO office would like more applications from electric utilities and oil and gas companies for projects designed to reduce emissions, as well as geothermal companies, Shah said. Commercial debt markets are "less interested in the more innovative approaches that (wind companies) are taking.

LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - The race for electric vehicle (EV) battery metals is heating up. Carmakers have already been busy tying up supplies of battery metals under direct off-take agreements with existing metals producers. Automakers' collective move into the mining sector has so far largely prioritised the lithium sector, where Western companies have been playing catch-up with Chinese investors. Lithium supply is struggling to scale up at the speed required to meet accelerating demand from battery-makers. Capital expenditure in the sector slumped, miners opting to return cash to shareholders rather than dig more big copper mines.

Feb 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Monday ordered regulators to reconsider part of the permit approving Lithium Americas Corp's (LAC.TO) Thacker Pass lithium mine project in Nevada, though the mixed ruling rejected claims that the project would cause unnecessary harm to the environment or wildlife. Chief Judge Miranda Du of the federal court in Reno, Nevada, ordered the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to determine whether the company has the right to dump waste rock at the site, a ruling based on a complex set of case law. Du's ruling can be appealed. Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ General Motors doesn’t expect significant U.S. production of EVs until second half of year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Barring any supply chain problems, Betts said electric vehicles should be easier and faster to build than traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines for an experienced automaker. Photo by Steve Fecht for General MotorsBut others such as Hyundai Motor and Ford Motor have been ratcheting up production of EVs. Industry leader Tesla also targets to produce 2 million electric vehicles globally this year. Ford, which ranked second in EV sales in the U.S. last year, expects to increase production of its electric Ford F-150 Lightning. GM expects to ramp-up production of the Bolt models, which use older battery technology, to 70,000 vehicles this year, GM has said.

☆ GM, Lithium Americas to develop Thacker Pass mine in Nevada
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 31 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) and Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO) on Tuesday announced they would jointly invest to develop the Thacker Pass mine in Nevada. Under the agreement, GM will make an equity investment of $650 million in Lithium Americas. Lithium carbonate from Thacker Pass will be used in GM's proprietary Ultium battery cell. U.S.-listed shares of Lithium Americas rose over 9% in premarket trade. Production at Thacker Pass, which is expected to create 1,000 jobs in construction and 500 in operations, is projected to begin in the second half of 2026, the companies said in a statement.

☆ The 'land grab' for lithium is just getting started with GM deal, says EV materials expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Automakers are starting to realize that the only way to guarantee lithium supplies is to own or have a controlling stake in the source. "It's the only way you're going to have the edge and guarantee you can make EVs over the next 20 years," Moores told CNBC. Nickel will also be important for automakers, in addition to lithium, Moores told CNBC. "Lithium and nickel are really what terrifies EV makers," Moores told CNBC. It is a land grab," Moores told CNBC.

☆ Cramer's lightning round: Chart Industries is not a buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chart Industries Inc : "This is not the time to go into a really gigantic company that's involved with making all sorts of the big tankers down there in LNG-ville." Loading chart...ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd : "I don't like the shipping services. I've been staying away from them for ages. I am still staying away from them." Loading chart...Chewy Inc : "I still worry one day that Amazon is going to say, 'you know what, we've had enough of Chewy.'"

☆ The $360 billion electric car battery market will determine the fate of electric vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

There's also money to be made: The EV battery market could hit $360 billion by 2030, according to McKinsey. At Insider, we've looked at white-hot EV battery technologies that give automakers the EV performance they need at the price their customers want. We've investigated how automakers are securing enough battery supply, especially amid the call for domestic sourcing brought on by requirements in President Joe Biden's climate bill. It just led a $400 million investment into the little-known EV battery startup that could make it work. The soon-to-be $339 billion battery industry is on a hiring tear to power the shift to electric cars.

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